Thoughts On A Tuesday Before A Major Storm

Psalm 63:1-2, 6-8

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory…when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

My Take: Father God, my soul searches, my heart longs for you in this wet and hurricane infested land. Through the forecast updates and storms of the night that are in my mind it is clear you are our only hope. And because of that hope, that eternal and gospel hope, because you are our God, I will dwell in your presence, I will find joy in knowing it is you that upholds us!

Abba Father, we love you - Amen and Amen

Psalm 107:28-32

Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

My Take: Father God, we cry out in the trouble of this storm and come what may we thank you for your indescribable love, for your wondrous works, the many blessings, the grace we have in Christ!

Daniel 3:17-18 

If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

My Take: Father God, we absolutely know you are able to calm this storm, we don’t know if you will , but we know you can.  And if you don’t our faith, our love, our adoration for you will not be shaken.

Job 1:21b

The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

My Take: Father God, it is so easy to praise you in the good times but so important to praise you in the storms of life.

Looking For Love (In all the wrong places)

  

Thessalonians 2:19-20

For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy.

This reminds me of the old song from the movie Urban Cowboy; ‘Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places.’ John Stott says that “In verses 19 and 20…Paul asks rhetorical…questions which expresses his great love…What Paul seems to mean is that his joy in this world and his glory in the next are tied up with the Thessalonians whom Christ…has so obviously transformed.”

I think Paul is reminding us that we often look for joy in the temporal circumstances of this broken world. We boast and find joy in the fish we catch, our conquests, masteries, our abilities. And while we may find some happiness in these things, these things shall surely fade away. Perhaps Our boast before the Lord should be, we are his! Perhaps we should find and give our love because Jesus first loved us! Perhaps we should live happy, joyful lives filled with love because of our transformation in Christ…

Grace and Peace!

Come and See

 

Psalm 66:5, 8-9, 20

Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man…Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard, who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip…Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me.

Derek Kidner says this Psalm shows us the “God of all-of many-of one.” It is an amazing and hopeful reminder. This remarkable Psalm shows us that we have a God that provides, for all even the broken like me, that we have a God that protects our weary and troubled souls, that no matter our circumstances God will not reject our prayers, that through it all God loves us always and anyway.

James Boice said of this Psalm; “For whatever our triumphs may be, they are always by the grace of God and we must say, “To God alone be glory.”

Amen and my response to this Psalm is a joyful praise to the God that helps me, that hears me, that loves me still…

Grace and Peace!

Stay Thirsty My Friends

 

Psalm 63:1-3

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.

I’ve read this Psalm many times, but recently it occurred to me that when we realize the vast wasteland of our existence and our desperate need of rescue, how could we not have this overwhelming desire for God Almighty in all His Power and Glory? As we wearily approach our only hope and see that he loves us no matter what, when despite any circumstances we are secure for all eternity, how could we not praise Him?  

In John 4:13-14, Jesus said “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

That to me is the very definition of eternal hope. It shows us a gospel fueled life, an enduring love.

Chris Benefield said this about Psalm 63:

“Storms will come; winds will blow; life will bring situations that we had rather not face. But even then we are secure in the shadow of His wings. He has covered us with His abundant mercy. We are secure in His mighty hand. He is our portion and our stay. What could possibly come my way that the Lord would be unable to handle?”

In the mid 1600s, Thomas Ken wrote a hymn that has come to be known as ‘The Doxology.’  It seems appropriate to end with this…

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Amen.

Grace and Peace!